ALDERSHOT TOWN 1 SUTTON UNITED 0

report by Tony Dolbear

Sutton's attempts to make an impact on the teams above them in the Premier Division table were frustrated for the second week running at the Recreation Ground on Saturday when they again conceded a soft goal and were unable to retrieve the situation. Whereas with a little more of the rub of the green against Gravesend they might have gained something other than sympathy from the game, it was hard to make a case here for the home side not deserving all three points even allowing for some spirit shown by U's once Nick Bailey had entered the fray with just over half an hour to go and shown for the second game in a row quite what a prospect U's have on their hands. U's had their moments earlier, and might have punctured the optimism whipped up before the game when new Aldershot manager Terry Brown was presented to the crowd following his abandoning of Hayes' relegation fight. There would have been little in the first half hour to make him think he had any better a side here, but Sutton couldn't turn their promise in to a goal. Matt Gray's cross was cleared away as Scott Corbett closed in at the far post, and from the corner Rob Haworth's back header was cleared off the line by Jason Chewins. Aldershot were restricted to long range efforts by Owen Coll and Mark Bentley, both of which were confidently held by Tommy Dunn, but on a pitch soft enough to cause all the players problems it wasn't a great first half, and Bentley's frustrations earned him a booking for his third bad challenge inside 32 minutes. Stafford Browne almost battled a way through in a goalmouth scramble, but he made what proved to be the decisive intervention three minutes before half time when, after Dunn had cleared well from Grant Payne, the ball was quickly returned over the top and this time Browne had the better of U's keeper and rolled the ball past Ryan Palmer in to the empty net. Early in the second half Sutton were struggling to stay in the game, with Payne having a shot well held by Dunn within thirty seconds of the restart, and then hitting the side netting with a shot on the turn. Dunn also did well to pluck Bentley's chip out of the air after the midfielder had broken free on the right, but the arrival of Bailey and the decision to push Gray up front enabled U's to get something of a foothold back in the game. They were unlucky in having to make another change five minutes later, particularly as Corbett's removal was due to a shocking tackle from Lee Holsgrove, whose yellow card barely seemed adequate as Corbett hobbled off. Eddie Akuamoah was typically lively, though, and openings began to appear, mainly when Dave Timothy was able to get forward on the right. It was from one such move that former Sutton favourite Gareth Howells was forced in to his only serious save as Haworth's flick on found Bailey beyond the far post and Howells had to be down sharply to stop the shot. Another good run from Bailey almost created a chance for Akuamoah, and Gray ensured the need for the home defence to concentrate, but the lack of convincing support from the midfield when promising situations arose, and a general carelessness in their passing, prevented U's from posing a concerted threat. It was Aldershot who seemed likelier to change the scoreline, although Palmer almost did it for them when Dunn's clearance cannoned off him but just wide, and another former Sutton championship winner, Mark Watson, ought to have secured things when he battled through on the right but then blazed across goal.

Aldershot: Howells, Protheroe, Chewins, Kirby, Coll, Holsgrove, Bentley, Parker, Browne, Payne(Watson 72), Gell. Subs n/u Townley, Forrester.

Sutton: Dunn, Palmer, Gonsalves, Mison, Hammonds, Honey, Timothy, Corbett(Akuamoah 61), Fowler(Bailey 56), Haworth, Gray. Sub n/u Drew

Referee: K Haines Attendance:1618